There are some other good shows on this day in Dead history, but we go to the tail end of the summer ’72 West Coast tour for our Dead of the Day. This show at the Hollywood Palladium has highlights throughout, but really gains momentum, resulting in an amazing run through He’s Gone> Truckin’> Drums> The Other One> Stella Blue. But to open it up, the boys go to Promised Land and deliver a ripping version. Sugaree slows it down, sending it into a creamy, lusciousness undergirded by Phil’s bass. Then, after Me And My Uncle, the boys play a meaty, insistent version of Bird Song that cascades out. Following that, they head into a Black Throated Wind that is not to be missed. The Tennessee Jed that comes on its heels is also special with some rumbling, persistent jams that will make you take notice. A song later, the band plays a gooey Deal, just dripping with headiness. Then a nearly twenty-minute Playin’ bursts forth, which is just so tasty. After Loser, Johnny B. Goode finishes off the first half with a ton of energy, rocking it into the break. The Dead bring it out of the intermission with a crisp China Cat, which weaves its way through with a psychedelic charge to arrive at a soaring I Know You Rider. Friend Of The Devil then bubbles forth, slinking along with Keith’s keys just under the surface and Jerry’s resonant guitar leading the way. After a very good Jack Straw, a supple He’s Gone brings it up a notch further still. Then, we get a long, rocking Truckin’ that reaches feverous outer realms and eventually heads into a scintillating drum solo, which births an immaculate Other One. On The Other One, Phil is impeccable, dropping bombs while Jerry and Bobby scorch off. Over the song’s thirty-five minutes, the boys take us to worlds unknown until, finally, one of the most moving of all the Stella Blues simmers forth. Even the El Paso that comes on its heels is noteworthily delightful. The show continues to smoke the rest of the way out, with a throw-down Sugar Mags seeing out the set. And, as you would suspect, the One More Saturday Night encore keeps the rocking going. Then the band plays a funky little Stars and Stripes Forever jam, concluding with some fun banter from Jerry – “We’d like to play some more, but some of the boys are already in Tijuana…you know how it is.” – and Bobby – “We have a bass player that was last seen heading out the backdoor with some cute little filly.”